You may be wondering about our lives. Here are some specifics, statistically speaking...
- The boys take about 2,300 pills a month to digest their food and to help them grow.
- This doesn't include their antibiotics, anti-fungals, anti-vitals, or steroids which they take often and is ever-changing.
- They have taken at least 250,000 pills since they were born!
- They are on and off antibiotics frequently to help fight lung and sinus infections.
- They follow an exhausting regimen:
- Digestive enzymes to digest fat and protein
- Acid reflux medication improve digestion
- Laxative therapy for digestive regulation and avoid intestinal/bowel obstructions
- Probiotic capsule to balance digestion
- Appetite stimulants
- Prescription multivitamins
- Vitamin D
- Bronchiodiolator (an inhaler like asthmatics use)
- Anti-inflammatory inhalers
- Nebulized medicine to thin mucus in their lungs
- Nebulized medicine to hydrate their lungs
- Nebulized antibiotics to fight infection in their lungs
- Nutritional supplements
- Handful of pills with EVERY meal
- 2-3 airway clearance sessions per day (to break up obstinate congestion in their lungs). This translates to an ENTIRE MONTH year hooked up to breathing devices!!
- We have to check blood sugar regularly to keep an eye out for developing CFRD (CF-related Diabetes).
- Michael undergoes a drug infusion every other week to help with one of his chronic lung infections called ABPA (allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis).
- Our medicine cabinet looks like a pharmacy.
- We never go anywhere without pretzels, enzymes, and an EpiPen (for Dylan's food allergies and reaction to Michael's regular drug infusion).
- Life expectancy today for babies born with CF is 43 years. As parents, we believe we can do even better. Your donation can make a difference in adding YEARS to our boys' lives.
- You can help find a cure for The Salty Boys! Simply DONATE HERE.
- I cannot give a statistic on the amount of hope in our hearts.
